Derrik Goodwin (Glendale Golf & Country Club) finished as the highest placing PGA of Manitoba member on the leaderboard at the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada.

Goodwin’s final round Wednesday was a 1-over par 73 at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club in Riviera Maya, Mexico, good for a T8 finish at 5-over par 221 (74-74-73) and a cheque for $1,350.

Also representing our province:

16 – Jason Ludke (Pine Ridge Golf Club) 78-77-73-228
T23 – Glen Mills (Assiniboine Golf Club) 78-81-77-236
T29 – Geoff Kehler (Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club) 79-82-80-241
T31 – Rob Guthrie (Southwood Golf & Country Club) 83-80-79-242
38 – Rob Damsgaard (The Players Course) 89-86-78-253
WD Dave McMillan (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club) 80-86-WD

Billy Houle of Joliette Inc in Quebec won the championship at 1-under par 215 (76-69-70) earning $9,000.

For the final leaderboard, click here.

The second round of the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada is underway at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club in Riviera Maya , Mexico.

Derrik Goodwin (Glendale Golf & Country Club) was the top PGA of Manitoba member on Monday carding an opening round of 2-over par 74, just three strokes off the lead.

Also representing our province:

Jason Ludke (Pine Ridge Golf Club) 78
Glen Mills (Assiniboine Golf Club) 78
Geoff Kehler (Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club) 79
Dave McMillan (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club) 80
Rob Guthrie (Southwood Golf & Country Club) 83
Rob Damsgaard (The Players Course) 89

For the live leaderboard, click here.

Seven PGA of Manitoba members are in the field of 46 competitors at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club in Riviera Maya , Mexico this week vying for the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada.

Rob Damsgaard (The Players Course), Derrik Goodwin (Glendale Golf & Country Club), Rob Guthrie (Southwood Golf & Country Club), Geoff Kehler (Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club), Jason Ludke (Pine Ridge Golf Club), Dave McMillan (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club) and Glen Mills (Assiniboine Golf Club) opened play this morning in the 54 hole three day event.

For the leaderboard, click here.

Congratulations to the PGA of Manitoba individual award winners named at the 2025 Buying Show:

Apprentice Professional of the Year – Ian Penner (Southwood Golf & Country Club)

Class “A” Professional of the Year – Bri-ann Tokariwski (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)

Club Professional of the Year – Darren Hayden (Quarry Oaks Golf Course)

Coach of the Year – Derek Ingram (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)

Executive Professional of the Year – Patrick Law (Minnedosa Golf & Country Club)

Junior Leader of the Year – Derrik Goodwin (Glendale Golf & Country Club)

Player of the Year – Ryan McMillan (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)

Professional Development Award – Nathan Liewicki (Bel Acres Golf & Country Club)

Retailer of the Year – Kris Ehnes (Breezy Bend Country Club)

Salesperson of the Year – Rob McMillan (Acushnet Canada)

Teacher of the Year – Derrik Goodwin (Glendale Golf & Country Club)

During the awards, the PGA of Manitoba also named Jim Collins as PGA of Manitoba Distinguished Service Award winner. For more information, click here.

Courtesy: Cory Kartusch

It is a tremendous honor to be able to present the PGA of Manitoba Distinguished
Service award to Mr. Jim Collins. It makes it even more special that his son, Glenn
Collins, could be here with us today to accept this award. I know you have many friends in this room, and I know they are all thrilled you are here. Glenn is joined by Jim’s family and friends, including his wife Lucette who often played with Jim at St. Charles.

I would like to share with you a little bit about one of the greatest golf professionals in
the history of the PGA of Canada.

I am sure that everyone who grew up playing golf in Manitoba or who had aspirations
in the golf business knew Jim Collins. Some of you in this room worked for Jim in the
past or played with him. On thing for sure, all of us in one way or another have been
impacted by his contributions to our profession. Simply put, Jim is a legend in
Manitoba and Canadian Golf history.

Jim’s legacy revolves around him being the longest tenured golf professional in St.
Charles’ history. Jim was and always will be St. Charles. His name and his influence will
always be associated with the club. He began his long tenure working in the pro shop as
a junior golfer, and in the process, he became one of the top junior golfers in Manitoba.
He played and practiced with the legendary George Knudson. He held his own finishing
runner up to him twice in the MB Junior championship.

In 1959 Jim moved east and became the assistant professional at Oakdale in Toronto.
He won the Ontario assistants championship in his time there and then returned to St.
Charles in 1961 to become the clubs Head Professional. From there, he served 37 years
to his retirement in 1997. Jim dedicated himself to St. Charles in all aspects of the
profession. A remarkable player, a true leader at the club and a mentor to his staff.
A few highlights from Jims’s career as a golf professional are:

• 3-time PGA of Manitoba Zone Champion
• PGA of Canada Club Professional Champion in 1980
• 5 Time PGA of Manitoba Seniors Champion
• PGA of Canada seniors’ championship in 1990
• 2 Time PGA of Canada Club Professional of the Year
• Served the PGA of Manitoba Board for 9 years, twice as president and served
  the national Board for two years.
• A member of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and the PGA of Canada Hall of
  Fame.
• Shot his age countless times!
  
  When I had the fortune to become the assistant professional at St. Charles in 2001, I
  very quickly learned of Jim’s importance to the club and its members. The members
  often commented on Jim’s influence on the club as a professional and a person. They
  clearly expressed how much they adored him. I had never experienced a situation where
  the club professional was so revered by the membership. Five years after Jim retired the
  membership still referred to him as “Mr. Collins” and that remained for many years after.
  As I got to know Jim it did not take long to figure out why.
  
  He was the truest of gentlemen. He had an amazing way to make people feel welcome
  and valued. He had an unbridled passion for the game. He was a true golf professional.
  He played the game well and practiced most every day (10 shots with every club he
  told me). He was a model professional in how he handled his business. His interactions
  with the members were attentive and genuine. The members truly adored him.
  
  Jim was mentor to many. His career as a whole was an important lesson for all golf
  professionals. His tenure was no secret. He put the club first. He truly loved St. Charles
  and shared that passion with the members. His decision making was always with St.
  Charles and the club at the forefront of his mind. As a result, he was adored by the
  membership and had a tenure of 37 years. His legacy remains in many areas of the club.
  
  Of the many, Jim founded the St. Charles Invitational Pro Am and the trophy still bears
  his name. It is the longest running community fundraising event in the history of Cancer
  Care Manitoba. This event has reached $2.65 million dollars in donations in support of
  Cancer Care in Manitoba and has no signs of slowing down. An astonishing impact on
  the Manitoba community.
  
  Jim was also a pros pro. Underneath is gentlemanly demeanor he was sneaky funny.
  He knew when to make levity of a situation and clearly understood how the challenges
  of being a club professional created humor opportunities for humor.
  
  As we all know, Jim passed away on September 10th, 2024. I spoke to him two weeks
  prior and I believe he had just finished shooting his age…again. I was so glad I bumped
  into him that day.
  
  Jim was an outstanding member of the PGA of Manitoba, the PGA of Canada and the
  Winnipeg Community. He certainly deserves this recognition. I am pleased to call up
  Glenn Collins to accept the PGA of Manitoba Distinguished Service Award for his father,
  Mr. Jim Collins.

Golf Manitoba is proud to share Director of Player Development Sean Murray and Assistant Coach Bri-Ann Tokariwski have been named as finalists by the PGA of Manitoba for their 2025 individual awards.

The winners will be announced on Monday, November 3rd at Canad Inns Club Regent.  

Murray is a finalist for the Junior Leader of the Year Award while Tokariwski is a finalist for Class “A” Assistant Professional of the Year, Teacher of the Year and Coach of the Year.

PGA of Manitoba regulations do not allow a person to win an award in consecutive years. Murray was named the winner of the 2024 Coach of the Year Award and Professional Development Award.

Devon Schade (Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club) carded a 6-under par 66 Monday at Pine Ridge Golf Club to win the 2025 PGA of Manitoba Titleist & FootJoy Spring Classic.

Schade recorded six birdies and no bogeys en route to a four stroke victory over Ryan McMillan (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club).

Austin Dobrescu (EVO Golf) and Jeremy Gallant (St. Charles Country Club) tied for third place on the leaderboard at 1-under 71.

Patrick Law (Minnedosa Golf & Country Club) and Colwyn Abgrall (GOLFTEC) both finished fifth, at even par 72.

Over the past four days at Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, PGA of Manitoba Professional & Team Manitoba Assistant Coach Bri-ann Tokariwski has lent her knowledge to up and coming golf instructors in preparation for the 2025 season.

2024 PGA of Manitoba Distinguished Service Award winner Garth Goodbrandson sits down with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz to discuss his passion for the sport of golf.

To read more on Goodbrandson’s career, click here.

Golf Manitoba would like to congratulate Team Manitoba Boys Head Coach Sean Murray (St. Charles Country Club) on being named the PGA of Canada Tex Noble Professional Development Award winner for 2024.

Along with his Head Coaching duties with Golf Manitoba, Murray is the Director of Instruction and Junior Co-Ordinator at St. Charles. He also served as the Technical Advisor for the sport of golf at the 2024 Manitoba Summer Games.

“Sean continues to show outstanding effort in his pursuit to become the best possible teacher and coach he can be” said St. Charles Country Club Director of Golf & COO Cory Kartusch. “The members and staff of St. Charles are proud of Sean’s work and congratulate him on his recognition as the winner of the PGA of Canada Tex Noble Award”.  

The Tex Noble Professional Development Award recognizes the PGA of Canada professional who is the model of life-long learning and continuing professional development. This award is designed to give special recognition to an individual PGA professional for outstanding and continuing contributions to professional development and continuing education.

In the late 1970s Tex Noble became the Education Director for the PGA of Canada, creating and managing an education system that was used for more than 20 years and became the envy of PGA’s around the world. In 1983 he was hired as the PGA of Canada’s General Manager and proved invaluable in helping to resolve various internal issues.